Fight Song

"This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me"

Fight Song - Rachel Platten 

If this song isn't your current tune then you have got to get on board the Fight Song train. This is the latest song to throw a big middle finger up to those people who don't believe in you. Last year we got our groove on thanks to Shake It Off. This year it's all about Fight Song. 

At first listen it seems cheesy and cliche, like something someone else has done before. And yeah, this song is all those things. Then you realise that your own life is cheesy, cliche, and someone has already done everything you are trying to do. But you don't really care, because finally, really truly finally, you realise you don't have to give a toss what other people think about you. Or at least, that's what happened to me. 

I have spent the last six years building towards this moment. Through overseas trips, going through university and making my way into the professional workplace, through gaining new friends and getting rid of poisonous relationships, through learning, growing, making mistakes and taking chances, I've come to the moment where I am thoroughly my own person. 

And, as I really, truly, definitely started to believe that, I heard Fight Song. 

It was the anchor I needed, the song that made me think and feel that what I was doing was right. Because, although I don't quite know what I'm fighting for just yet, I know that I can do that fighting. 

And the clincher?

That one line: I don't really care if nobody else believes. 

Because, at the end of the day, you really are the only person who can fight for yourself. 

And don't forget to get on iTunes and buy The X Factor New Zealand's version of Fight Song - profits go to Ronald McDonald House

Not Gonna Die

"The last thing I heard was you whispering goodbye
And then I heard you flat line

No, not gonna die tonight
We're gonna stand and fight forever
(Don’t close your eyes)
No, not gonna die tonight
We're gonna fight for us together
No, we’re not gonna die tonight"


Not Gonna Die - Skillet 

There has been a thought bothering me for the past six or so weeks. I am a big fan of The X Factor NZ and this season I have thoroughly enjoyed watching and scrutinising the acts. And, just like me, most of my Twitter feed has been doing the same thing. Mostly I see positive comments about the contestants, and any negativity I can scroll past. But there was one on-going topic that bugged me, and that was the constant Christian bashing of Fare Thee Well. I loved the group, but I am more than willing to accept they are not everyone's cup of tea. However, I am not okay with comments that recommend Christian acts like them return to their little cults, because this world could learn a lot from Christian music. 

My own beliefs in Christianity are something I refuse to discuss with anyone. I have, for the past five years or so, been perfectly content with the way I think and believe in Christianity. I can't explain it but I take what I need from Christianity. 

And I love the music; I will listen to Christian music without hesitation. When I first found Skillet - in my opinion the best Christian rock band - I had no issues with their association with Christianity. And I have no doubt that Skillet and their songs kept my life on track. I first heard Skillet when I was a teenager, someone who was a lot more unsure of myself than I am now. They were a mix of the angry rock I needed to rage to and the positive words I needed to keep myself going. Their lyrics sing about not giving up, how relationships have saved their lives and how they will not let a world full of evil consume them. They take a stand - a stand to make the world a better place. 

It is this kind of positivity that flows through into all types of Christian associated artists. Switchfoot, Rapture Ruckus, Hillsong United are all known for telling us how we can make our lives the best they can be. And it isn't a case of shoving stories about Jesus down our throats, it's about using the beliefs and teaching of Christianity to help us be better people. 

I'm glad we had Fare Thee Well on this season of The X Factor New Zealand. Sure, they didn't win, but for a few weeks we had three of this country's most beautiful people on our television screens. They radiated positivity. And they reminded us that sometimes our music simply needs to be about seeing the good in the world. 

THESE GUYS: 

Summertime Girls

"Them summertime girls, they drive me crazy
I think I'm in love
They're looking so good, they're so amazing
Like da-da-daa-da-da
They got the sunkissed skin and golden curls
Smiling at the world
Them summertime girls, they drive me crazy
It's all about them summertime girls
Them summertime girls,
It's about them summertime girls"

Summertime Girls - Masketta Fall

It has been two and a half months since I arrived back from my Australian adventure. I have slotted back into life in New Zealand relatively well; I got a new job, have thoroughly enjoyed catching up with all my friends, and started plotting more trips to keep the boredom at bay. Sometimes I miss Australia, especially Perth, a place that captured my heart in mere minutes, and the friends I made along the way. But I stand by what I wrote about in Back Home - that New Zealand is where I need to live.

It may have taken me a few weeks to get to writing this blog (there's been some other secret writing projects going on!), but did you really expect me to go all over Australia and not find a sweet band to follow? I came across Masketta Fall after Twitter hype about them opening for The Vamps, my favourite British pop rock band. I missed seeing The Vamps but I did get onto Spotify to see what the Masketta Fall fuss was about. And they are pretty cool. They are my favourite kind of fun music; cute guys on instruments, catchy and friendly songs, and, I don't doubt, a pretty funky group to see live.

And I really would like to see these guys play a live gig. I asked them to come over via Twitter last night and this was the response:

So, in an attempt to get these guys to cross the ditch, I'm putting the word out there about how awesome Masketta Fall are. If you know any people who love pop rock boy bands then let them know about these guys, because I'm not keen on losing this challenge. And I know that you know someone - because most people pretend to hate this kind of music but secretly love it. Or, if you're like me and loud and proud about your boy band obsession - i.e. you have music from One Direction, Hot Chelle Rae and The Wanted - then get aboard the Masketta Fall fan base. 

Australia have given us some great pop music over the past few years - Sheppard, 5 Seconds of Summer, Justice Crew and my favourite lil rocker Reece Mastin, and I think we can add Masketta Fall to that mix. But I won't know for sure until I see them live, so show them some love and help me get them across the Tasman Sea. 

Man in the Mirror

"I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change"

Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson 

I have spent a lot of the past month in observation mode, specifically focussing on how people treat each other. I watched people in everyday life, I watched people playing sports, and, most importantly, I watched people interact with others on the internet. We are quite considerate in person. Sport will always have it's fair share of poor sportsmanship but that's just the game for you. But online, wow, do people let loose. 

The internet is a great place for expressing opinions; I do it every time I write a blog. But I like to think my blogs are a more structured opinion piece, where I write what I really think and feel, and tend to stay away from personal attacks against people. My Twitter feed, however, it is a different story. Clicking on any trending topic will bring a up a slew of rather disgusting attacks no matter what the story is, and most of the time it's against a particular person. And it is, quite frankly, horrible reading. 

Of course, being so rude has for a long time been the topic of many songs by my favourite pop artists. 

Taylor Swift said "Why you gotta be so mean" 

Magic! said "Why you gotta be so rude" 

And Lily Allen just went "Fuck you. Fuck you very very much" 

I don't particularly condone that last one, but it kind of gets the point across - online trolls aren't worth much time. 

But what does this have to with Man in the Mirror and Michael Jackson? Well, the King of Pop called it all those years ago. The change starts with you. It's time we took ownership of what we say and do. The best way to get rid of the nasties is to keep the nasty out of your own comments. I'll tell it to your face: those comments aren't funny, they are hurtful, and if you wouldn't say it in real life then you shouldn't say it online. I have Twitter-challenged myself to tweet only positive comments to people, and I tell you, it does make me feel great, and I like to think the person receives it smiles when they read it. 

I, of course, have much bigger plans to change the world that just telling people to clean up their internet act. I have certainly looked in the mirror and thought about all the ways I can make this world a better place. I'll start by spreading the good vibrations. And I'll finish this blog by saying two things: one, that you should listen to Man in the Mirror and get that inspiration to do some good, and two, that you are a bunch of beautiful people. 

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

"Oh! I wanna dance with somebody
I wanna feel the heat with somebody
Yeah! I wanna dance with somebody
With somebody who loves me"

I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston 

Let's me start with this: I love this song. It's a classic ballad delivered from peak era Whitney Houston. It's been killed by thousands of people at karaoke bars - in both the good and bad way. It's that song that comes out near the end of the night at parties and weddings and everyone gets into it. I remember it coming on when I was at a club in Melbourne (incidentally, the same club which inspired The Nights and All The Small Things) and it made me think about how much I want to eventually find someone to dance with. 

There's many types of dancing out there: ballet, salsa, rumba, contemporary, hip hop, country line dancing, dancing in the rain, that weird move you always do in the club, dancing around like maniac when your favourite song comes on and that secret bum wiggle dance every tries out at least once. Dancing is part of life - even if you have never done it professionally it's still something that can bring a lot of joy and bring people together. I am always keen to get a dance floor going, however minimal. I was once on a dance with floor with one friend and three American girls I had just met, and I had a ball. 

But I Wanna Dance With Somebody is more about the dance of life. The song talks about finding that person who will dance with you through thick and thin. As a person who has never really had a serious relationship I see this song as an ideal, a goal, the end result. We all know life will throw great things and terrible things at you, and for many of us these things will be dealt with alongside a partner. I would like to think that we will all end up with someone holding our hand and dancing around the good and the bad, from your first dance at your wedding to the Saturday night dance at the retirement village. 

One day I will find someone to dance with. I blog time and time again about the importance of being an individual and following your dreams, but I still believe you can do all that with someone dancing alongside you. In the mean time, I will dance with friends and family, with strangers and by myself, until I find my dance partner. 

Wings + The Nights

"Mama told me not to waste my life,
She said spread your wings my little butterfly
Don't let what they say keep you up at night
And they can't detain you'
Cause wings are made to fly"

"He said, "One day you'll leave this world behind
So live a life you will remember."
My father told me when I was just a child
These are the nights that never die
My father told me"

Wings - Little Mix + The Nights - Avicii 

Not long before I left for Australia my mother came up to me and asked if I had heard Wings before. I said yes, of course, it's played all the time on the pop stations. She said something like good, that's what I want you to do. I got all sorts of other advice from my parents before I left - be safe, have fun, remember why you are going, do it for both of us. It was the typical parent stuff. It was comforting; before I left I had always wanted my parents permission to go off on this big adventure. Although I'm in my early twenties and could have gone off without their permission it was nice to know I had support back home. 

As I traveled I met a lot of young people like myself and one thing we often talked about was what our parents thought about us being on the road. I met a girl from London whose mother was reluctant to let her get an Australian Visa, and another girl from Sweden said her parents had begged her to come home for Christmas. There was an English girl who missed her parents so much she decided to go home after two months. I even met a mother who loved traveling so much she was taking her son along the Australian East Coast. Then there was the American grandmother I met who hinted it was she who needed her children's permission to go on her overseas experience. 

I'm lucky my parents let me go without too many reservations. It's a pretty big deal to let your child board a plane with just a few places of accommodation booked in a foreign country. Indeed, my mother she hardly sounded surprised when I called her from the Sunshine Coast and said "I'm off to Vietnam in two weeks!" And since I've been home my older brother has headed off on his overseas trip and my mother has let him to do his thing. Between myself and my older brothers we've always come back a bit wiser from all our overseas trips - my mother always said I came back different from my first solo overseas trip to Sydney when I was eleven. 

I picked out two songs this week to dedicate to my mother and father. The song by Avicii is a banger I am absolutely digging right now. I first heard it when I was in Australia and then it came on when I was in a club in Melbourne with my friends I met in America. I think that night, when we were all friends met while traveling, we remembered the nights we had together in Australia and America.

So this post is a double header of two pop songs my parents would probably never listen to, but you get the point. Thanks, ma and pa.

Really Don't Care

"But even if the stars and moon collide

I never want you back into my life

You can take your words and all your lies

Oh oh oh I really don't care

Even if the stars and moon collide

I never want you back into my life

You can take your words and all your lies

Oh oh oh I really don't care

Oh oh oh I really don't care"

Really Don't Care - Demi Lovato feat. Cher Lloyd 

I have never shied away from writing blogs to people. Sometimes I write them because I simply cannot put the words into real life what I want to say to them. Sometimes they have gone - they've left my life or passed away - and I feel this blog is the only time I have to tell them something. I've written to friends, family, co workers, to people I've briefly met and to people I will never meet. But now for the first time, I'm writing to someone who will not listen to me. So, for nearly all of you, this blog will be an entertaining story about a troublesome person in my life. One that, as you will soon find out about, I really don't care about anymore. 

Let's begin where it all broke down - the reunion. When you see someone for the first time in a while it's never going to be easy sailing. Whether it's your best friend or a mere acquaintance, there is a distance created by being apart. There's moments of awkwardness, hesitation about which subjects to bring up - do you stick to the good ones or do you venture into the bad times you had to go through together? And really, after all this time, how much can you say you really know about each other?

It got off to a decent start, I guess. There was banter and laughs with the others and it seemed like maybe everything was going to be okay. I suppose we are both lucky we can joke about some of the things that happened; I am a fan of being able to laugh at the past. But as the night went on things started to go downhill, aided by our best friend and worst enemy: alcohol.

I knew at some point there would be an intense conversation. Imagine my relief - after months of thoughts and feelings and confusion, written only in this blog, I would be able to talk to you. But, oh, how it went so badly. It's a pet hate of mine, to ask me a question and then not bother to listen to my reply. Or even better, to tell me to explain then walk away without a comment, leaving me to my own emotional mess. But I pride myself on knowing myself better than you ever will, so I came prepared with the tissues, because I knew I couldn't get through a whole weekend without there being a few tears.

One of my favourite parts was the spun story about backing off because you couldn't bear the feelings. I should have picked you to run from emotions. Or perhaps I should have picked you to tell stories to try make me feel better. I guess I'll never learn which one was the truth. You asked me so many times whether I was mad at you and I said no every time, because I wasn't until we had this little chat. After that I was filthy mad with you, something I think you always wanted to try feel better about yourself. 

Though perhaps a little thank you is in order for this night - you walking away meant I walked straight into the arms of another man. It's funny how distant one becomes when they're no longer the centre of attention.

There's a line which stands out to me in Really Don't Care: I can't believe I ever stayed up writing songs about you. That's what it was: Demi Lovato writes songs, I write blogs. Either way, you pour your emotions into words and a few months later it just seems like silly thoughts which never resonated with the intended target. Maybe that's what will happen again here - but at least I tried.   

I don't like you and I don't care about you, but in a funny, twisted way I will always have a touch of love for you. That's what happens when you come on my emotional roller coaster ride, and I never forget those who climb aboard.

That's nearly my whole story. There is just one thing left - the happy ending. Well it's simple: I am perfectly content with creating my own happiness and my own stories and memories with people I really care about.